Healthy Zucchini Fritters in the Air Fryer with Pickle Tartar Sauce
Make these healthy old-bay-seasoned zucchini fritters in the air fryer for a delicious meatless main dish. The crunchy and golden brown exterior and soft interior of these zucchini fritters taste like they have been fried to perfection–except they have NO added oil! Woohoo!
Top off your zucchini fritters with a healthy, tart, dill pickle tartar sauce packed with protein from plain Greek yogurt. It’s a dinner so good, you will be licking your plate clean.
No judgment here.
The Best Zucchini Fritters for Dinner
Let’s be real, a meatless main that is not a sandwich or a pasta dish can be hard to find. I created these zucchini fritters with pickle tartar sauce because we wanted something different for our meatless dinner nights. And these fritters are a winner.
The actual fritters are hearty and filling enough for dinner. Add the healthy plain Greek yogurt-based pickle tartar sauce on top for a little boost of protein and TANG on top of this dish.
Are Zucchini Fritters in the Air Fryer Healthy?
Short answer–yes! At least they are much healthier than their pan-fried counterparts!
Cooking your zucchini fritters in the air fryer is much healthier than pan frying them on the stovetop because it prevents the fritters from soaking up excess oil. Air frying reduces the fat in this dish significantly.
But don’t worry– these flavor bombs will still be CRISPYYYY! (That’s what I care about!) The air fryer will help you create a golden brown crunchy exterior even without the added oil.
Zucchinis, as a vegetable, are really quite good for you, too! The vegetable is known to be low in calories, rich in antioxidants, and can even promote healthy digestion. Learn more about zucchini’s health benefits here.
How To Make Healthy Zucchini Fritters in the Air Fryer
Follow the instructions below to make the best zucchini fritters in the air fryer.
- Shred 3 medium-sized zucchini, into about 4 cups of shredded zucchini. Add the shredded zucchini to a large bowl.
- Using a clean towel, squeeze out the excess moisture in the shredded zucchini as much as possible.
- Add the remaining zucchini fritter ingredients (except the lemon) to bowl with the zucchini shreds. Mix everything together until it’s incorporated.
- Spray your air fryer tray with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees.
- As the air fryer is preheating, form the zucchini mixture into roughly 1/3 cup-sized “patties” or fritters. Set patties on a greased plate. The mixture will be wet. If you need, you can add up to an additional 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs to hold the mixture together.
- Add patties to the air fryer (don’t overcrowd the air fryer) about 6 will fit in at a time in a 6 qt air fryer.
- Cook the zucchini fritters for 10-12 minutes, flip the fritters once halfway through.
- As the fritters are cooking, mix all of the pickle tartar sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
- When you remove the zucchini fritters from the air fryer, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of the fritters while they are still warm. (Trust me, don’t skip this step!). Dollop pickle tartar sauce on top of the fritters and serve alongside a lemon wedge. Enjoy!
A Few Tips for the Best Results:
Add A Fresh Squeeze of Lemon Juice
This recipe needs the acid that a squeeze of a fresh lemon will provide. Don’t miss out on it! If you make these zucchini fritters in the air fryer, then they will still taste good without the squeeze of lemon– but that squeeze will elevate these fritters to a whole new dimension!
Don’t Overcrowd Your Zucchini Fritters In The Air Fryer
Stick with about 1 fritter per quart size of your air fryer. For example, I own a 6 qt. air fryer, so my fryer will fit around 6 fritters in the base before it overcrowds the air fryer.
When the air fryer is overcrowded it will produce fritters that are not fully crispy. For best results, make sure to give your fritters some room for the forced air to circulate the air fryer easily (and give you the crispy edges of your dreams). Make sure to also avoid your zucchini fritters from touching at all costs.
Reheating Healthy Zucchini Fritters in the Air Fryer
Reheating leftovers– no worries it’s easy. When you store leftover zucchini fritters, add them to a sealed container and place them in the refrigerator. Store the pickle tartar sauce and the zucchini fritters separately to avoid soggy fritters.
Eat your refrigerated leftover zucchini fritter within 3-4 days. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the fritter for 2-3 minutes. They will be perfect! Top with your pickle tartar sauce!
Zucchini: A Low Food Waste & Grocery Budget Saving Ingredient
When your grocery budget is on the tighter side, zucchini is a great pick! You can use it to make hearty and healthy dinners like this one or check out my Sausage Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats recipe.
Zucchini is one of the best vegetables to cook with when you are trying to save money on your groceries. Whether it is in season or out of season, it is always an inexpensive pick! And its versatility is so helpful to a budget-minded home chef. You can use it for baking (check out this mock apple zucchini crisp dessert recipe) and cooking! (That’s my favorite kind of ingredient!)
In terms of food waste, zucchini is a pretty low-waste vegetable. Besides the ends, you can use the entire vegetable in cooking or baking! You will want to check each recipe that you encounter for suggestions on peeling or not peeling the zucchini. In this recipe, there is no need to peel the zucchini.
More Healthy Air Fryer Recipes For Dinner
Looking for more healthy air fryer dinner recipes? We’ve got you covered!
Air fryers are an awesome tool for anyone who is looking to create healthier (and faster) meals in the kitchen! Find healthy recipes, made in a fraction of the time utilizing the speed and versatility of the air fryer. And BONUS these recipes are all fast and simple to make yourself.
- Homemade Salsa Chicken Taquitos in the Air Fryer
- Roasted BBQ Chickpea Salad with BBQ Ranch
- The Best Zucchini Lasagna with Sausage (Not Soggy & Quick) (Uses an Air Fryer to reduce cooking time)
Healthy Zucchini Fritters in the Air Fryer with Pickle Tartar Sauce
Print RecipeIngredients
Healthy Zucchini Fritters
- 4 cups shredded zucchini about 3 medium zucchini
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 egg whisked
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/4 tsp old bay
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Pickle Tartar Sauce
- 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp mayo optional
- 2 dill pickle spears diced
- 1 tbsp of pickle juice
- 1/4 tsp dried dill
- dash of hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Shred 3 medium-sized zucchini, into about 4 cups of shredded zucchini. Add the shredded zucchini to a large bowl.
- Using a clean towel, squeeze out the excess moisture in the shredded zucchini as much as possible.
- Add the remaining zucchini fritter ingredients (except the lemon) to bowl with the zucchini shreds. Mix everything together until it's incorporated.
- Spray your air fryer tray with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees.
- As the air fryer is preheating, form the zucchini mixture into roughly 1/3 cup-sized "patties" or fritters. Set patties on a greased plate. This recipe will make about 10 fritters. The mixture will be wet. If you need, you can add up to an additional 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs to hold the mixture together.
- Add patties to the air fryer (don't overcrowd the air fryer) about 6 will fit in at a time in a 6 qt air fryer.
- Cook the zucchini fritters for 10-12 minutes, flip the fritters once halfway through the cooking.
- As the fritters are cooking, mix all of the pickle tartar sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
- When you remove the zucchini fritters from the air fryer, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of the fritters while they are still warm. (Trust me, don't skip this step!). Dollop pickle tartar sauce on top of the fritters and serve alongside a lemon wedge. Enjoy!
